Split type cold and warm air conditioner

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a split type cold and warm air conditioner for solving problems of insufficient performances and inconvenience in use. The split type cold and warm air conditioner includes an air conditioning system having an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first fan, a compressor, an accumulator and a capillary tube. The indoor unit includes a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger and a second fan. A first refrigerant circulation loop and a second refrigerant circulation loop can be constituted by using pipelines and solenoid valves to connect the above-mentioned components. The invention provides both high performances for cold and warm air functions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a split type cold and warm air conditioner, and in particular relates to a high performance split type cold and warm air conditioner capable of switching refrigerant circulation loops to provide an applicable heat exchange proportion of a condenser to an evaporator when producing cold or warm air.

2. Description of the Related Art

In conventional split type cold and warm air conditioners using devices such as a four-way valve to change flow directions of a refrigerant, an indoor or outdoor heat exchanger can be alternatively served as an evaporator to produce cold air or served as a condenser to produce warm air, so that the produced warm air can increase room temperature in cold days and the produced cold air can decrease room temperature in hot days. In these conventional air conditioners, an energy match of the condenser and the evaporator can be obtained if the heat dissipation area of the condenser substantially is 20% to 30% greater than that of the evaporator. Therefore, in a four-way-valve cold and warm air conditioner of taking a cold air function as a primary design, a heat dissipation area of an outdoor heat exchanger must be greater than that of an indoor heat exchanger so as to obtain a better cold air performance, but resulting in an inferior warm air function. Besides, in a four-way-valve cold and warm air conditioner of taking a warm air function as a primary design, a heat dissipation area of an indoor heat exchanger must be greater than that of an outdoor heat exchanger so as to obtain a better warm air performance, but resulting in an inferior cold air function. A pressure difference formed between pipelines located at both sides of the four-way valve is about 10 atmosphere pressure when the cold and warm air conditioner is operated. Thus, if the cold and warm air conditioner is required to switch from a cold air function to a warm air function, vice versa, when in use, the cold and warm air conditioner shall be stopped for couple minutes until the pressure difference between pipelines located at both sides of the four-way valve drops to a predetermined minimum value. Moreover, the four-way valve is expensive due to structural complexity, generally of reducing performance due to imperfect sealing of the high and low pressure pipelines after a period of operating time.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of this, the invention provides a high performance split type cold and warm air conditioner for solving the defects in conventional skills.

The split type cold and warm air conditioner of the present invention comprises an air conditioning system comprising an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit comprises a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first fan, a compressor, an accumulator and a capillary tube. The indoor unit comprises a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger and a second fan. A first pipeline configured with a first three-way joint is utilized for connecting the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. A second pipeline configured with a second three-way joint is utilized for connecting the third heat exchanger and the fourth heat exchanger. A third pipeline comprises a first end connected to the compressor and comprises a second end connected to a third three-way joint. A fourth pipeline configured with a first solenoid valve comprises a first end connected to the third three-way joint and comprises a second end connected to the second heat exchanger. A fifth pipeline configured with the capillary tube comprises a first end connected to the first heat exchanger and comprises a second end connected to the third heat exchanger. A sixth pipeline configured with a second solenoid valve comprises a first end connected to the second three-way joint and a second end connected to the accumulator. A seventh pipeline configured with a third solenoid valve comprises a first end connected to the fourth heat exchanger and comprises a second end connected to the third three-way joint. An eighth pipeline configured with a fourth solenoid valve comprises a first end connected to the accumulator and comprises a second end connected to the first three-way joint. A ninth pipeline comprises a first end connected to the accumulator and comprises a second end connected to the compressor. Accordingly, a first refrigerant circulation loop is constituted to provide a cold air function when the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are in an open state and when the third solenoid valve and the fourth solenoid valve are in a closed state, and a second refrigerant circulation loop is constituted to provide a warm air function when the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are in a closed state with the third solenoid valve and the fourth solenoid valve being in an open state.

Preferably, a heat dissipation area of the second heat exchanger is 0.05 to 0.5 times that of the first heat exchanger, a heat dissipation area of the fourth heat exchanger is 0.05 to 0.5 times that of the third heat exchanger, a summation of the heat dissipation area of the first heat exchanger and the heat dissipation area of the second heat exchanger is greater than the heat dissipation area of the third heat exchanger, and a summation of the heat dissipation area of the third heat exchanger and the heat dissipation area of the fourth heat exchanger is greater than the heat dissipation area of the first heat exchanger. When the cold and warm air conditioner of the present invention provides a cold air function, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are serially connected and served as a condenser, and the third heat exchanger is served as an evaporator. When the cold and warm air conditioner of the present invention provides a warm air function, the third heat exchanger and the fourth heat exchanger are serially connected and served as a condenser, and the first heat exchanger is served as an evaporator. According to the local maximum outdoor air temperature and the temperature of the condenser, an optimal proportion of the condenser to the evaporator in the cold air function can be adequately set. According to the indoor set temperature and the temperature of the evaporator, an optimal proportion of the condenser to the evaporator in the warm air function can be adequately set. Therefore, according to the different local maximum outdoor air, set indoor, condenser and evaporator temperatures, the sizes of the first and second heat exchangers and the sizes of the third and fourth heat exchangers can be set, thereby providing cold air function in hot days and warm air function in cold days with good performances, respectively.

Preferably, the split type cold and warm air conditioner further comprises a control unit which is electrically connected to the air conditioning system, the first, second, third and fourth solenoid valves.

The split type cold and warm air conditioner of the present invention is advantageously provided with following efficacies. Firstly, the first refrigerant circulation loop and the second refrigerant circulation loop can be constituted by switching the first, second, third and fourth solenoid valves. Further, a heat exchanging ratio of between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit can be regulated by regulating the first, second, third and fourth heat exchangers, so that the cold and warm air conditioner can provide high performance when producing cold or warm air. Secondly, the present invention is capable of directly switching cold and warm air functions when in use, viz needed not to switch off power to balance the big pressure difference between the four-way valve for several minutes as the conventional cold and warm air conditioners did. Further, the solenoid valve utilized in the present invention has a simple and reliable structure, eliminating defects of reducing performance of the four-way valve type machine due to imperfect sealing of the high and low pressure pipelines after a period of operating time.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a structural schematic view of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a structural schematic view in which the system of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 provides a cold air function; and

FIG. 3 is a structural schematic view in which the system of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 provides a warm air function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.

FIG. 1 shows a structural schematic view of the split type cold and warm air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. The split type cold and warm air conditioner comprises an air conditioning system 1 which comprises an outdoor unit 11 and an indoor unit 12. The outdoor unit 11 comprises a first heat exchanger 111, a second heat exchanger 112, a first fan 113 corresponding in position to the first heat exchanger 111 and the second heat exchanger 112, an accumulator 114, a compressor 115 and a capillary tube 116. The indoor unit 12 comprises a third heat exchanger 121, a fourth heat exchanger 122, and a second fan 123 corresponding in position to the third heat exchanger 121 and the fourth heat exchanger 122. A first pipeline 21 configured with a first three-way joint 31 thereon is utilized for connecting the first heat exchanger 111 and the second heat exchanger 112 of the outdoor unit 11. A second pipeline 22 configured with a second three-way joint 32 thereon is utilized for connecting the third heat exchanger 121 and the fourth heat exchanger 122 of the indoor unit 12. In this embodiment, a heat dissipation area of the second heat exchanger 112 is 0.05 to 0.5 times that of the first heat exchanger 111, and a heat dissipation area of the fourth heat exchanger 122 is 0.05 to 0.5 times that of the third heat exchanger 121. A summation of the heat dissipation area of the first heat exchanger 111 and the heat dissipation area of the second heat exchanger 112 is greater than the heat dissipation area of the third heat exchanger 121, and a summation of the heat dissipation area of the third heat exchanger 121 and the heat dissipation area of the fourth heat exchanger 122 is greater than the heat dissipation area of the first heat exchanger 111.

A third pipeline 23 comprises a first end connected to the compressor 115 of the outdoor unit 11 and comprises a second end connected to a third three-way joint 33.

A fourth pipeline 24 configured with a first solenoid valve 41 thereon comprises a first end connected to the third three-way joint 33 and comprises a second end connected to the second heat exchanger 112 of the outdoor unit 11.

A fifth pipeline 25 configured with the capillary tube 116 of the outdoor unit 11 thereon comprises a first end connected to the first heat exchanger 111 of the outdoor unit 11 and comprises a second end connected to the third heat exchanger 121 of the indoor unit 12.

A sixth pipeline 26 configured with a second solenoid valve 42 thereon comprises a first end connected to the second three-way joint 32 and comprises a second end connected to the accumulator 114 of the outdoor unit 11.

A seventh pipeline 27 configured with a third solenoid valve 43 thereon comprises a first end connected to the fourth heat exchanger 122 of the indoor unit 12 and comprises a second end connected to the third three-way joint 33.

An eighth pipeline 28 configured with a fourth solenoid valve 44 thereon comprises a first end connected to the accumulator 114 of the outdoor unit 11 and comprises a second end connected to the first three-way joint 31.

A ninth pipeline 29 comprises a first end connected to the accumulator 114 of the outdoor unit 11 and comprises a second end connected to the compressor 115 of the outdoor unit 11.

The split type cold and warm air conditioner further comprises a control unit 5 which is electrically connected to the air conditioning system 1, the first solenoid valve 41, the second solenoid valve 42, the third solenoid valve 43 and the fourth solenoid valve 44 for controlling the operation of the air conditioning system 1. Besides, the first solenoid valve 41, the second solenoid valve 42, the third solenoid valve 43 and the fourth solenoid valve 44 are switched on or off to control the flow direction of refrigerant.

The liquid refrigerant can be prevented from entering the compressor 115 by the accumulator 114 of the outdoor unit 11, so that valve component of the compressor 115 can be protected from damages.

The invention can be suitably applied to following various circumstances according to different purposes.

Referring to FIG. 2, a structural schematic view of the system of the present invention providing a cold air function is illustrated. With the operation of the control unit 5, the compressor 115, the first fan 113 and the second fan 123 are operated, and the first solenoid valve 41 and the second solenoid valve 42 are controlled in an open state and the third solenoid valve 43 and the fourth solenoid valve 44 are controlled in a closed state, a first refrigerant circulation loop is then constituted to provide a cold air function. In the first refrigerant circulation loop, the refrigerant is driven to sequentially travel through the compressor 115, the third pipeline 23, the third three-way joint 33 to enter the fourth pipeline 24 and the second heat exchanger 112, and then the refrigerant travels through the first pipeline 21 to enter the first heat exchanger 111, and then the refrigerant travels through the fifth pipeline 25 to enter the third heat exchanger 121 and then travels through the second three-way joint 32 configured on the second pipeline 22 to enter the sixth pipeline 26 and the accumulator 114, and finally the refrigerant returns to the compressor 115. The refrigerant does not flow in the fourth heat exchanger 122 because the third solenoid valve 43 is switched off (i.e., in the closed state). Therefore, the first heat exchanger 111 and the second heat exchanger 112 which are serially connected are served as a condenser, and the third heat exchanger 121 is served as an evaporator. In this way, the heat-dissipating capability of the condenser of the serially-connected first and second heat exchangers 111, 112 can be adequately proportioned to the heat-absorbing capability of the evaporator of the third heat exchanger 121, thus producing cold air efficiently. In this application, the proportion of the heat-dissipating capability of the condenser of the serially-connected first and second heat exchangers 111 and 112 to the heat-absorbing capability of the evaporator of the third heat exchanger 121 is greater than 1 and preferably ranged between 1.05 and 1.5.

Referring to FIG. 3, a structural schematic view of the system of the present invention providing a warm air function is illustrated. With the operation of the control unit 5, the compressor 115, the first fan 113 and the second fan 123 are operated, and the first solenoid valve 41 and the second solenoid valve 42 are controlled in a closed state and the third solenoid valve 43 and the fourth solenoid valve 44 are controlled in an open state, a second refrigerant circulation loop is then constituted to provide a warm air function. In the second refrigerant circulation loop, the refrigerant is driven to sequentially travel through the compressor 115, the third pipeline 23 and the third three-way joint 33 to enter the seventh pipeline 27 and the fourth heat exchanger 122, and then the refrigerant travels through the second pipeline 22 to enter the third heat exchanger 121 and then travels through the fifth pipeline 25 to enter the first heat exchanger 111, and then the refrigerant travels through the second three-way joint 32 configured on the second pipeline 22 to enter the eighth pipeline 28 and the accumulator 114, and finally the refrigerant returns to the compressor 115. Accordingly, the third heat exchanger 121 and the fourth heat exchanger 122 which are serially connected are served as a condenser and the first heat exchanger 111 is served as an evaporator, and the refrigerant does not flow in the second heat exchanger 112 because the first solenoid valve 41 is switched off. In this way, the heat-dissipating capability of the condenser of the serially-connected third and fourth heat exchangers 121, 122 can be properly proportioned to the heat-absorbing capability of the evaporator of the first heat exchanger 111 and thus can produce warm air with high efficiency. In this application, the proportion of the heat-dissipating capability of the condenser of the serially-connected third and fourth heat exchangers 121, 122 to the heat-absorbing capability of the evaporator of first heat exchanger 111 is greater than 1 and preferably ranged between 1.05 and 1.5.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A split type cold and warm air conditioner, comprising: an air conditioning system comprising an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit comprises a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first fan. a compressor, an accumulator and a capillary tube, and the indoor unit comprises a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger and a second fan; a first pipeline configured with a first three-way joint and utilized for connecting the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; a second pipeline configured with a second three-way joint and utilized for connecting the third heat exchanger and the fourth heat exchanger; a third pipeline comprising a first end connected to the compressor and a second end connected to a third three-way joint; a fourth pipeline configured with a first solenoid valve, the fourth pipeline comprising a first end connected to the third three-way joint and a second end connected to the second heat exchanger; a fifth pipeline configured with the capillary tube, the fifth pipeline comprising a first end connected to the first heat exchanger and a second end connected to the third heat exchanger; a sixth pipeline configured with a second solenoid valve, the sixth pipeline comprising a first end connected to the second three-way joint and a second end connected to the accumulator; a seventh pipeline configured with a third solenoid valve, the seventh pipeline comprising a first end connected to the fourth heat exchanger and a second end connected to the third three-way joint; an eighth pipeline configured with a fourth solenoid valve, the eighth pipeline comprising a first end connected to the accumulator and a second end connected to the first three-way joint; and a ninth pipeline comprising a first end connected to the accumulator and a second end connected to the compressor; wherein a first refrigerant circulation loop is constituted to provide a cold air function when the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are in an open state and when the third solenoid valve and the fourth solenoid valve are in a closed state; and wherein a second refrigerant circulation loop is constituted to provide a warm air function when the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve are in a closed state and when the third solenoid valve and the fourth solenoid valve are in an open state.
 2. The split type cold and warm air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat dissipation area of the second heat exchanger is 0.05 to 0.5 times that of the first heat exchanger, a heat dissipation area of the fourth heat exchanger is 0.05 to 0.5 times that of the third heat exchanger, a summation of the heat dissipation area of the first heat exchanger and the heat dissipation area of the second heat exchanger is greater than the heat dissipation area of the third heat exchanger, and a summation of the heat dissipation area of the third heat exchanger and the heat dissipation area of the fourth heat exchanger is greater than the heat dissipation area of the first heat exchanger.
 3. The split type cold and warm air conditioner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a control unit, the control unit being electrically connected to the air conditioning system, the first solenoid valve, the second solenoid valve, the third solenoid valve, and the fourth solenoid valve. 